Intensive care unit: results of the Newborn Hearing Screening.

INTRODUCTION

Procedures for extending the life of newborns are closely related to potential causes of hearing loss, justifying the identification and understanding of risk factors for this deficiency.

OBJECTIVE

To characterize the population, analyze the frequency of risk factors for hearing loss, and assess the audiological status of infants attended in a Newborn Hearing Screening program (NHS).

METHODS

This was a retrospective study that analyzed medical records of 140 patients from a neonatal intensive care unit, identifying the frequency of risk factors for hearing loss and audiological status, utilizing transient otoacoustic emissions and brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP).

RESULTS

Prematurity was present in 78.87% of cases; 45% of the infants were underweight and 73% received ototoxic medication. Audiologically, 11.42% failed the NHS, and 5% of cases failed retest; of these, one had results compatible with hearing loss on BAEP.

CONCLUSION

A higher rate of low birth weight, and prematurity was observed in infants who underwent screening and had an audiological diagnosis by the third month of life. Only one newborn presented a change in audiological status. The authors emphasize the importance of auditory monitoring for all infants, considering this as a high-risk sample for hearing loss.